CONTROLS Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

controls 1 of 2

noun

plural of control

as in controllers

a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system the controls for the player are well marked

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as in hands

the ability to direct the course of something after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in operations

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas

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as in powers

the right or means to command or control others teachers are responsible for the students under their control

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controls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of control

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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as in contains

to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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as in operates

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of controls

Noun

It got blown out by a momentary glitch, magnified by his lack of controls. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026 Security controls, compliance requirements and multi-cloud environments introduce legitimate meta-work; an organization with none of it would be insecure or ruinously expensive. — Tal Dagan, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026 Almost all the controls were electronic buttons, and the dashboard was entirely digital—two ideas that sound reasonable today but were nightmarishly complex in the mid-1970s. — Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2026 The new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display has a section in System Settings for Touch Display controls. — Stevie Bonifield, The Verge, 30 Oct. 2026 Strict controls on capital flows limit foreign investors’ participation in Chinese markets, reducing the possibility that turmoil could spread internationally. — John Liu, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026 Their achievement followed years of experimentation with gliders, propellers, and flight controls. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026 There are full-size Backspace, Delete, and arrow keys, in addition to a number pad and a separate row of volume controls. — Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026 Security was also heightened in Rome, where authorities locked down luxury shopping streets and stepped up controls around the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Verb

One is fezolinetant, which works in the area of the brain that controls body temperature and blocks a source of hot flashes and night sweats. — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026 That’s three negative developments in three Senate races that could determine which party controls the chamber, all of them contests in which Democrats were believed to be favored. — W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026 Who controls Starshield is a question that entered the public consciousness in the wake of the Ukraine Starshield speed limit affair. — Andrew Jones, Space.com, 2 Nov. 2026 Results at the end of the evening will determine which party controls Congress, says Welker, so following the factors involved in that across the evening will be important. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 2 Nov. 2026 With less than 24 hours left till the general election, what happens here in Michigan will likely determine which party controls Congress. — Veronica Ortega, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 Much ink has been spilled this election cycle about the competitive races that could determine which party controls Congress. — Barbara Sprunt, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026 NeodraDynamics' Cui Dalong told New Atlas that a computer running a set program controls it remotely, and a cable supplies its power. — New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026 Six in 10 families can’t afford the basic cost of living in the battleground districts that will determine which party controls the House, a Washington Post analysis has found. — Amy L. Wong, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls

Noun

Frank Groenewegen, a cybersecurity expert at Deloitte in The Hague, spoke to The National and urged retailers across Europe to review their refrigeration units and controllers, identify vulnerabilities, and upgrade security promptly, if possible.

— Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 4 Nov. 2026
Menu navigation is handled primarily through eye gaze and voice, though Bluetooth keyboards, mice, and controllers are also supported.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of controllers

Noun

The skydivers — including Rutz — jumped from a plane and held each other’s hands Friday morning.

— Iris Kwok Follow Nov. 6, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
In the right hands, there’s a hell of a lot that can be done with two men, some first-rate banter, and a historical flashpoint that eerily resonates with our current need for a reckoning about American adventures abroad.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of hands

Noun

These capabilities can support military operations that depend on information gathered beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
This engine is optimized for in-space operations and uses liquid hydrogen and oxygen propellants.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of operations

Noun

The council would decide which commissions received those powers and could later revoke them.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Unified control will provide Democrats with broad investigative and subpoena powers, authority over presidential appointments, control of legislation and federal spending, and the ability to pursue impeachment proceedings.

— Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of powers

Verb

The commissioner oversees an office with 1,400 employees that regulates more than 1,700 home, auto, workers’ compensation and other insurers, as well as more than 510,000 agents, brokers, adjusters, bail agents and other business entities.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Voters elected Democrat Shelia Edwards to the PSC, which regulates the rates and profits of Georgia Power and Atlanta Gas Light.

— Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of regulates

Verb

California officials, however, say the government’s list contains substantial inaccuracies and risks disenfranchising eligible citizens.

— Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 3 Nov. 2026
The study contains no word on the protein component of hemoglobin being preserved.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of contains

Verb

The company says its sodium-ion platform operates with passive cooling, eliminating the need for those systems.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Technically not in Lofoten, but well worth extending your trip for, Kvitnes Gard is a historic estate in Hadsel, Vesterålen, that operates as a 15-room farm hotel.

— Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 Oct. 2026